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SCF - Marie Curie actions-Series of events

Cel

The economic impact of Clostridium pathogens on European human and veterinary health is escalating. Mortality due to C. difficile is increasing due to the emergence of a highly virulent clone, the withdrawal of antibiotic growth promoters in feed stuffs ha s led to a dramatic increase in necrotic enteritis in fowl due to C. perfringens and there are heightened public concerns over the use of C. botulinum by bioterrorists. Novel strategies are needed to counter these threats. However, the European clostridial community is fragmented, and lacks the necessary critical mass. Moreover, the perceived difficulty of working with anaerobes has deterred young scientists from entering the field. To be internationally competitive, it is crucial that an enlarged European network of clostridial researchers is formed. This will be brought about through a series of educational conferences and workshops aimed at young researchers. Our objective is to educate and inform young European scientists on the biology of the clostridia and the diseases they cause. This will: 1) elevate European clostridial research to the international forefront, and establish long-term research synergies within the EU to increase mobility and improve the career prospects of young researchers; 2) ensure re-location of the International ClostPath symposia to Europe in order to gain a competitive advantage over the US; 3) encourage young researchers to combine the knowledge from genetics and genomics with human and veterinary clinical aspects, and; 4) educ ate young researchers in presentational, teaching and practical skills. By training young researchers in topics strongly developed in Europe (genomics, toxinology, diagnostics) and by presenting the main achievements developed elsewhere (pathogenesis, new epidemiological methods, countermeasures) we aim to create a new generation of clostridial researchers that will ensure that Europe is able to out-compete the USA and Japan.